Device for determining the condition of a well bore from an etched acid bottle



April 3, 1945. F. .1 sPANG 2,373,061

DEVICE FOR DETERMININC THE CONDITION OF wELL BORE's FROM ETCHED ACIDBOTTLES Filed Jan. 24, 1942 Patented-Apr. 3, 1945 OFFICE DEVICE FORDETERMINING THE CONDI- TION OF A WELL BORE FROM AN ETCHED Ferdinand J.Spang, Butlerl Pa. Application January 24, 1942, Serial No. 428,068

CCI. 23S- 69) Claims.

This invention relates to the acid bottle method of testing well boresory shafts for the purpose ot determining their angular position. Thismethod is old in the art and is usually carried out as follows:

A common chemical bottle partially lled with a dilute aqueous solutionof hydrofluoric acid is so secured within a tube that it is axiallyaligned therewith. This tube is of such length and diameter that when itis lowered into the well bore hole, it will be in axial alignment withsuch bore hole, thus insuring axial alignment of acid bottle and borehole.

The tube with the acid bottle secured therein is lowered to apredetermined depth within the well bore hole and is kept at -such depthfor a time which is suiclent to allow the fumes from the acid solutionwithin the bottle to attack and etch the exposed inner suriace. of thebottle above the acid solution level, thus forming on the inner surfaceof the bottle a well defined line of demarcation at such level. The tubewith the acid bottle therein is then withdrawn from the well bore hole,and the acid bottle is removed from the tube and rinsed with water inorder to terminate the etching action.

Heretofore, it has been customary to determine the angular position otthe demarcation line within the etched bottle by means of bevelprotractors or the like, and then, by means of computations to determinethe angular position or the well bore hole.

An object of this invention is to produce a device or instrument bymeans of which the angularlty of the well bore hole, or in other wordsits departure from the vertical, can be readily and quickly determinedfrom the demarcation line which has been produced in an acid bottle inthe usual manner as. above outlined.

Another object` is to produce a device or instru-- ment by means ofwhich the ordinary factors v relating to a well bore hole condition canbe quickly and accurately computed and determined from the demarcationline once such line has been formed. in the usual. manner on the innersurface oi an acid bottle.

These and other objects which will bey apparent to those skilled inthisl particular art, I attain by means of the device described in thespecification and illustrated in the drawing accompanying and formingpart of this application.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device or instrument embodying thisinvention with an etchedk acid bottle in place therein;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device of Fig. 1; and YFig. 3 is a transverse view taken on line III- III of Fig. 2.

In a. general way, the device or instrument of this invention comprisesan acid bottle holder, a pair of relatively movable slides associatedwith said holder, means for so supporting said slides that theirrelative sliding movement is limited to parallel paths which parallel-the longitudinal axis of an acid bottle located in position within saidholder, and scales on said slides which computeand determine theordinary necessary factors relating to the condition of a well bore holefrom the demarcation line ln an acid bottle that has been etchedl withinsuch bore hole in the usual manner.

In the device or instrument chosen for illustrating this invention, theacid bottle holder is formed in the nature of a case or housing. 4 whichis generally cylindrical and is open at its forward end 5 to receivewithin the bottle compartment thereof a. bottle 6. The bottom or rearend of the compartment is partially closed by an annular ange i whichforms a stop and against which the bottom of the bottle abuts when inposition within its compartment.

The case or housing is arranged to lie in a horizontal position whenbeingused land is provided with support feet 8. The top oi the case orhousing is provided with a central slot 9 which, extending. from endflange i to the forward end of the bottle compartment, extends an equaldistance on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the case.

The case on opposite sides of the slot 9 is provided with dovetailsldeways l0 and il which extend throughout the length of the housing andparallel the longitudinal center line of the case or housing and that ofbottle 6 when in position within its compartment.

A slide l2 is dovetailed to slideway i0 and a slide I3 is dovetaled toslideway H. These slides meet at the longitudinal median line of slot 9,

` and are capable of being independently moved along their respectiveslideways.

Slide I2 is provided with two scales arranged end to end. The forwardscale i4 or that nearest its pointed end i5 is calibrated to give thecorrected vertical depth of the bore hole in feet per hundred feet oflineal bore hole measurement. Rear scale I6 is calibrated to give thedifference in inches between the points of maximum and minimum height ofthe demarcation line in the acid bottle.

Slide i3 is also provided with two scales which are numbered il and i8.The forward scale, or scale il which is nearest the pointed end i9 ofslide l5 is calibrated to give the distancein feet from the center o-fthe well bore hole where the etching occurred in the acid bottle to avertical line which passes through the center of the well bore hole`attlie ground level. Scale I8 is calibrated to Vgivethe'degree ofangularity to the vertical of the plane within which the demarcationline in the acid bottle is located. The de- 'j v marcation line isnumbered 20.

Slide I3 is provided withanarrowA 2i, which, Y. v

when the slides are properly."adjustedzfwith"ree lation to thedeiriarcation line, designates the point on scale I4 which sets forththe corrected vertical depth in feet per hundred'feet' of bore bore holemeasurement. arrow 2i', which, when the slides are properly adjustedwith relation to the demarcation line, designates'the pointon'scale Iwhich-setsfforth the diierence in inches between the maximum and minimum(high and low) .points inthe del rcation line. mlide I2 isprovidedlwithanarrow 23, and this arrow, when the slidesare properlyadjusted with relation to the demarcation line,l designates the point'`on scale I1 whichsets forth `the distance from the center of the-wellbore hole where the etching in the acid bottle occurred, toaverticalline which passes through the center of the well bore hole at the groundlevel. Slide l2 is also provided with an arrow 24, which,when the slidesare adjusted 'to proper position with relation to vthe demarcation line,designate the point in scale I8 which` gives the'degree. of angularitytothe vertical of the plane of the demarcation line.

Leaf springs located within the bottle compartment ofthe caseorhousing--below the longitudinal center line of the acid lbottlewlienin position yieldingly hold the bottle in contact with the underlongitudinal, edges --of slot EJ so that the major axis or longitudinalcenter line O -f thi;x bottle is parallel to the longitudinal centerlineoi slot9. l These springs overlie cut-out portions 2S of the case orhousing, and the rear end of each spring isv preferably connectedby moldmetal 21 to the adjacent end Wall of the cut-r out portion 26.7- Theforward end 28 of each spring projects lbeyond the opposite endwall ofits slot -26 and is turned outwardly toward the case orhousing-in'order'to permit the ibottle to bereadily slidinto positionagainst stop flangel il. Springs 25 not only serve to hold the'bottle incontact with the 'underlongitudinal edges of slot 9, but frictionallyhold the bottle in place. They also frictionally resist rotation of thebottle when in place. x Y b "'Each slide adjacent `ts `forward end isprovided with' a through hole 2S." rAnnular flange v'i in iine'fwitiieach 'siidefis provided' with a, pocketl 39 .and a` pinV 3l located 'uwitlii'n each said pocket, vand hacked by a spring 32, hears against theunderside of 4the slide 'and' thus.

frictionally resists slidingvlrnoveme'nt thereof. As the slides .aremoved rearwardlyyuntil holes 29 register with pins 3i, said pins, bymeans of their backing springs 32 are forced outwardly and into saidholesQthus locking the slides against further rearward movement.'.{Itwill be obvious that in order to release the slidesaso thatthey canbe moved forward, it is only",necessaryto;manually,` depress pins 3landkeep them depressed until the slides are moved to a position whereholes 29 are out of register with said pins.

In using the -device or instrument of this inven` tion, a bottle whichhas been etched in the usual or customary manner as above outlined, isinserted bottom end rst, into the bottle compartment of the device, sothat its base or bottoni 'bears tightly against ange4 'L With theibottle thus positioned, the slides are moved to the rear until theirpointed ends are ,below the lowest point of the demarcation line.

The 5bottle is then rotated until the lowest point of thedemarcationline is midway of slot 9. Slide |2is 'then movedtoward theopen end of the case until its point I5 is in line with the lowest pointAof said demarcation line. Spring pressed pin 3| lwhich bears againstthe underside of slide I2 fric- 'z tionally holds said slide in adjustedposition.

Theibottle is then rotated about its axis or until the uppermost pointof the demarcation line is midway 'of slot 9. Thev right-handsli'de i3is then'moved up until itsfpoint I9 is in line with said highest point.'Slide I3 is irictionally held in adjusted positionby its spring pressedpin 3|.

l With the slides thus'l adjusted, four computations may be instantlyread. Arrow 2l points to the place on scale I4 Iwhich shows thecorrected vertical depth of the well hole in feet per hundred feet oflineal well bore'imea'surement. Arrowt'z points to the piace on scalevit which shows the difference between the upper and lower' points Vinthe demarcation line. Arrow 23 points to the place on scale I7 whichshows the distance'nieas-v ured in feet fromthe fcen'ter'of the wellboie'at'. the point where etching of the bottle occurred to the nearestimaginary vertical line which isVin alignment with the location of thewell bore at the ground level. Arrow 24 points to the place on scale l 8which shows the4 degree of angularity of the bore hole withrespect 'tosaid imaginary vertical line. 'f

It will be apparent that the slides maybe set or adjusted to low andhighpoints of a demarcation line in an etched bottle which has been meas-iured py some other means. For example, these measurements may be takenat sorne distant point and telegraphed or otherwise transmitted tovsomeone having one of these devices, who can then quickly determine thecondition of the well Ibore as it relates to said imaginary verticalline:

It will lbe apparent that by use of this device, the computations orreadings ofAV the four califfbrated scales can be rapidly arrived at, sothat A drilling operations or other work need only vobtain thel etcheddedelayed long enough to marcation line.

These readings may then be used to plot the condition of the well boreinsuch a wayA as to acquaint the geologistmr others interestedtherein ofits location ,as regardsthe objective ofV the well drilling. This isparticularly valuable-"- where geophysical soundings have been made-topredetermine the. expected locations of produce: tive horizons withinthe well bore. -fForfinstanca va petroleum producing zone maybe locatedat a certain depth from. the surface'and/itniayslope from the horizontalat some degree of angularity. f If the well bore v'becomes crooked,`or'veers from; Athe vertical, thus .shortening the vvertical d'is"tance, measurements made by depth measuring lines become meaningless.I-Iowever, these measurements. in connection with the freadings derivedfrom the.scales;.of..thisdevice can he' converted into other-measiirements which will 2,37%961 indicate the point. at which thedrilling tools may enter ormati'on. If the formation is one of somehorizontal angularity it. may be reached at aA shorter or at. a greaterdepth, depending upon the position at which it is struck, so that bymeans of these measurements, and the plat. of the formation, a fairlyaccurate determination of the. penetration point can be made.

a It, 'is or course, recognized that numerous methods of surveying wellbore holes are now in use. Most of these are quite expensive, because ofthe elaborate equipment that is needed.

Aside from this, the time lost during the use or these methods makestheir use costly, whereas the device of this invention may be useddaily, and well bore corrections made when needed as drilling of thebore hole progresses.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device for obtaining unknown factors such as the correctedvertical depth of a well bore hole in feet per hundred feet of linealwell bore measurement and the distance: horizontally from the center ofsuch bore hole to a vertical line passing through the center of the borehole at the ground level, from, the demarcation line in an acid bottlethat has been etched within such bore hole in the usual way; a pair ofjuxtaposed relatively slidable members, a scale on each such member, onegraduated for such corrected vertical depth, with the other graduatedfor such distance, and a pointer on each such member so placed as toco-operate with the scale on the *other member in designating the pointon such scale which sets worth such unknown factor; the construction andarrangement being such that when such members are relatively slid untilthe lowest point of the horizontal distance scale is advanced beyond thelowest point of the corrected vertical depth scale a distance equal tothe known -distance between the high and low points in the demarcationline of an acid bottle having an internal diameter properly correlatedto said scales, said pointers will be brought into matched line positionwith such unknown factors.

2. In a device for obtaining unknown factors such as the correctedvertical depth of a well bore hole in feet per hundred feet of linealwell bore measurement and the distance horizontally from the center ofsuch bore hole to a vertical line passing through the center of the borehole at the ground level, from the demarcation line in an acid bottlethat has been etched within such bore hole in the usual way; a pair ofjuxtaposed relatively slidable members, two scales on one such memberarranged in end to end relation with one graduated for such correctedvertical depth and the other graduated for the dierence in heightbetween the minimum and maximum points in such demarcation line, a scaleon the other member graduated for such horizontal distance, two pointerson the second mentioned scale so placed as to co-operate with the scaleson the first mentioned memberI and one pointer on the i'lrst mentionedmember so placed as to co-operate with the scale on the second mentionedmember; the construction and arrangement being such that when suchmembers are relatively slid until the pointer for the scale showing thedifference in height between the maximum and minimum points in thedemarcation line is brought into matched line position with the knowndistance between such points, 75

the other pointers will be. brought into matched line position with theunknown factors.

3.. In e device for obtaining unknown factors such as the correctedvertical depth oi a well bore holen feet per hundred fee-t or linealwell bore measurement and the distance horizontally from such bore holeto a vertical line passing through the center of the bore hole at theground level, lfrom the, demarcation line in an acid bottle that has.been etched within such bore hole in the usual way; a pair of juxtaposedrelatively slidable members, a scale on one such member graduated forsuch 4corrected vertical depth, two scales on the other member arrangedin end to end relation with one such scale graduated for such distanceand the other graduated for the angle oi etching in degrees in the acidbottle, two pointers on the rst mentioned member so placed as toco-operate with the scales on the second mentioned member and onepointer on the second mentioned member so placed as to co-operate withthe scale on the rst mentioned member; the construction and arrangementbeing such that when such members are relatively slid until the pointerIfor the scale showing the angle of etching is brought into matched lineposition with the known angle of etching the other pointers will bebrought into matched line position with the two unknown factors.

4. In a device for obtaining unknown factors such as the correctedvertical depth of the well bore hole in feet per hundred feet of linealwell bore measurement and a distance horizontally from the center ofsuch bore hole to e. Vertical line i passing through the center of thebore hole at ground level, from the demarcation line of an acid bottlethat has been etched in the well bore hole in the usual way, a pair ofjuxtaposed relatively slidable members, two scales on each such memberarranged in end to end relation with one scale on one member graduatedfor such corrected vertical depth, with the other graduated for thedifference in inches between the high and low 'points in suchdemarcation line, one of the scales on the other member being graduatedfor such horizontal distance, with the other scale on such membergraduated to the angularity of such demarcation line, a pointer on eachsuch member so placed as to co-cperate with the scale on the othermember which sets forth an unknown fac'- tor; the construction andarrangement being such that when such members are relatively slid untilthe pointer co-operating with the scale showing the difference in heightbetween the maximum and minimum points in the demarcation line isbrought into matched line position with the known distance between suchpoints, or the pointer co-operating with the scale showing the angle ofetching is brought into matched line position with the known angle ofetching, the other pointers will be brought into matched position withthe two unknown factors.

5. In a device for obtaining two unknown factors of a well bore holefrom the demarcation line in an acid bottle that has been etched withinsuch bore hole in the usual way, a member having thereon two scalesarranged in end to end relation and each comprising lines and numerals,a second member having thereon two scales each comprising lines andnumerals, means for mounting said members contiguously whereby one isslidable with relation to the other, pointers on each such member forco-operating with the scales on the other member, said scales beingcalibrated to certain factors such as angle of inclnation of thedemarcation line in' degrees', horizontal distance of etching point froma vertical line passing through the center of the bore hole at theground level, corrected vertical depth in feet per hundred feet oflineal well bore hole measurement and the dierence in inches'betweenthemaximum-and minimum points in the demarcation line of a bottle havingan internal diameter properly correlated with said scales; theconstruction and arrangement being such that when such members arerelatively slid until the known distance between such points, or thepointer co-operating with the scale showing the angleof etching isbrought into matched line position with the known angle of etching, theHVother with the two unknown factors of the well bore 10 hole.

FERDINAND J. SPANG.

